


Male Order Bride

by mdelpin, Oryu404



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Artist Writer Collaboration, Crossdressing, Crush at First Sight, Denial of Feelings, F/M, FT Big Bang 2021, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Family, First Love, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Friendship, Gray wants to fall in love, Idiots in Love, Loosely inspired by Viking/Norse Lore and Traditions, M/M, Magical Illness, NOT A KINK, Natsu wants to find Igneel, Pining, Protective Gray Fullbuster, Silver's heart is in the right place, Some Humor
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-19
Updated: 2021-03-11
Packaged: 2021-03-15 11:14:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 15,214
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29558247
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mdelpin/pseuds/mdelpin, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oryu404/pseuds/Oryu404
Summary: Gray Fullbuster is desperate to get out of a tradition that requires him to get married before his 18th birthday.Natsu Dragneel manages to avoid being imprisoned for arson by posing as a woman.The two meet by chance, and knowing Natsu isn't who "she" claims to be, Gray comes up with the most outrageous idea he's ever had.
Relationships: Erza Scarlet/Lyon Vastia, Gray Fullbuster & Lyon Vastia, Gray Fullbuster & Ur, Natsu Dragneel & Lucy Heartfilia, Natsu Dragneel/Gray Fullbuster, Silver Fullbuster/Ur
Comments: 17
Kudos: 36
Collections: Fairy Tail LGBTales, Mashima's Heroes Big Bang





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I'd like to start by telling you a little story.
> 
> I went to a con with my daughter and nephew in September of 2019 and for the first time in a long while there was a bunch of Fairy Tail merch, including a Gray plushie which I bought. Fast forward to February 2020 when the pandemic started to generate closings. I had been hoping to find a Natsu plushie at the Boston Anime Con, but now that wasn't a possibility. So off I went to Amazon in search of a companion for Gray, who looked lonely standing on a shelf by himself. And find one I did! I ordered him up and a within a week he had arrived. I placed them next to each other and that's when it hit me, I had effectively ordered Gray a mail order bride. 😂
> 
> This is what they looked like!  
> 
> 
> That is sort of where the idea for this story came from, although of course being me the more I thought about it, the more complicated it got. I hadn't really planned on writing it out but then this event came around and I decided ( well, Oryu helped convinced me) that this was the right story for it.
> 
> Speaking of my partner in crime, Oryu404 signed up to be the artist for this story (for which I was really excited) so you will get to see some of their art as well! They'll probably end up on the writing side later on! (keep an eye out for their BB entry posting next week)
> 
> A few more things:
> 
> -It is sort of complicated to write a story in which someone is disguised as a woman but is male. So the convention I decided on is as follows - if a character knows Natsu's true gender they will think of him as a he/him, but will outwardly refer to him as she/her. If they don't they will refer to Natsu as she/her on both counts. This means that at some point some characters will shift how they think of Natsu. That is intended. Hopefully this won't be too confusing.
> 
> \- Oryu404, Akiko_Natsuko and I have created a discord called **The Unholy Trinity** as a way for you guys to be able to chat with us about our stories, fandom, or general writing. Come hang out with us! Here is an [invite](https://discord.gg/ubxJy6rqYy). I have added an invite to all my stories but this is the first one I've posted since we opened it. I am moving away from social media more and more so this is probably the best way to talk to me.

_Isvan, a village somewhere to the East of Fiore_

_A young man walks through the night, his clothing wholly inappropriate for the unforgiving climate he finds himself in. A sleeveless black vest, decorated with golden trim, leaves his chest exposed to the bitter winds. While the white pants, which only reach down to his mid-calves, and black open-toed sandals, offer no protection from the deep snow. The only item of clothing on his person remotely adequate for this excursion is the black-and-white checkered scarf he wears around his neck._

_The snow melts around him with every step he takes, although the unrelenting snowfall soon erases all marks of his passing. His efforts slow, and as soon as he notices an abandoned building, he heads towards it with relief._

_He enters with caution, searching for a place where he can shelter for the night. Finding a spot he deems defensible, he lies down, ignoring the howling wind that slinks in through the sagging planks that cover up windows long ago broken._

_A small flame dances in the palm of his hand, and it is to this he speaks._

_“Igneel, where are you?”_

_His voice sounds faint, and truth be told, he’s lost track of how long he’s been on this search. Only the certainty that he’ll eventually find the one he seeks keeps his feet moving, one tired step after another._

_A small mouse moves with caution, eager to investigate his meager belongings, but the man pays it no mind. He is already fast asleep, his body shivering against the relentless onslaught of the wintry drafts. As night advances, the temperature drops further, steeping his dreams in warmth and visions of fire. The crackle of the flames reminds him of laughter, sounding eerily similar to the one he’s lost. He clings to it with the desperation of the lost child he’d once been._

_As his dream continues, a thin layer of flames spreads across his body, expanding steadily until it sweeps across the floor and climbs up the walls, devouring all available surfaces of the room._

_He’s awakened by loud cries of alarm from outside the building. Eyes widen as he takes in the inferno that surrounds him._

_“Not again!”_

_He attempts to reclaim the flames, but they refuse to cooperate, leaving him only one course of action._

_He must run._

0-0 

_Residence of Chief Silver Fullbuster, Isvan_

_One week later_

A young woman with long flowing blue hair ran out of the room in tears as Gray Fullbuster scowled at the floor, trying to bury the guilt he felt at the words he’d uttered so heartlessly. 

“You went a little overboard, don’t you think?” Lyon Vastia, his best friend and foster brother, who was also acting as his official chaperone, commented behind him, “She’s a sweet girl.” 

“Fine, then you marry her,” Gray retorted, but there was no humor in his words, just a growing sense of desperation. He knew he was playing a dangerous game. His father’s patience was running thin, and soon the choice would be out of his hands. 

“I said she was sweet, not that I was suicidal,” Lyon answered, peering at the room’s entrance nervously. 

“Well, not all of us find the love of our lives so easily.” 

“I wouldn’t call any aspect of wooing Erza easy.” 

Gray snorted, recognizing the truth in his friend’s statement. Erza Scarlet was a beautiful girl and a wonderful friend, but she was undeniably intimidating. Though only nineteen, most of the hirdmen[1] knew enough not to incur her wrath. That Lyon had not only dated her but convinced her to accept his marriage proposal, made him one of the bravest men Gray had ever known, or the most foolish. Probably both. 

“But at least you _want_ to get married.” 

“Well, trying to sabotage the process is only working against you. Maybe you should try something else like, I don’t know, talking to your dad and explaining why you don’t want to get married. He might surprise you.” 

“He might,” Gray agreed, “or he might get so mad he disowns me and throws me out.” 

“I rather doubt that. You’re his only kid and next in line to be Chief,” Lyon pointed out. 

“He’s still got time to make another,” Gray replied, although he knew his father had held no interest in remarrying after his mother had died. 

“Ugh, this is so annoying. Who came up with this stupid law, anyway?” 

Lyon shrugged his shoulders, “You know I’d do it for you if I could. Maybe marrying one of these girls wouldn’t be so bad. At least they all seem to like you. There are worse fates you know…” 

Gray glared at his friend. 

Lyon held his hands up in front of his chest, “Right, I’m sorry. Forget I said anything.” 

Before Lyon could say anything more, Silver Fullbuster entered the room, looking more furious than either of them had ever seen him before. 

“Leave us,” Silver’s tone left no room for argument, and Lyon was wise enough not to give him one. He walked out of the room, sparing a backward glance at his friend. 

“Fader,” Gray bowed his head in a gesture of respect. 

“Save it,” Silver spat, “That poor girl left here crying, Gray. You were deliberately cruel, and I won’t stand for it. We raised you better than that.” 

Gray opened his mouth to answer, but his father waved him away. 

“Too soggy? What does that even mean?” Silver appeared bewildered. “For  Skadi’s[2] sake! What is wrong with you, Son? Juvia Lockser is a beautiful girl. She’s loyal and kind. Hell, even your magic is compatible. What more could you possibly want in a wife?” 

“Juvia Lockser is a menace,” Gray immediately refuted, “She tags along where she’s not invited, is as constricting as a lindworm[3], and insists on foisting a constant barrage of bizarre offerings at me. And her so-called compatible magic makes it rain whenever she’s unhappy, which appears to be all the time. No, thank you.” 

“That might be the case, but you will still apologize to her for your behavior today,” Silver demanded, crossing his arms over his chest and setting his jaw in a hard line. “You’re making things impossible.” 

Gray couldn’t help but smile at the thought that his plan had worked and he might soon be free of this ridiculous demand. 

“The fact of the matter is she was the last candidate willing to meet with you after word got out of how you’ve treated the others.” He squared his shoulders and proclaimed in a voice Gray dreaded. “So unless you find someone you _can_ accept as your wife, you will wed Juvia Lockser on your birthday.” 

“What?!” Gray roared in outrage, “That’s not fair!” 

“You’ve no one to blame but yourself.” Silver announced with a callousness that made Gray want to scream, “I gave you plenty of time to make your choice. I suggest you come up with a suitable plan to apologize to your intended.” 

“Doesn’t it matter to you I don’t love her? That this isn’t what I want?” Gray pleaded, hoping to break through his father’s anger. 

“Look, Gray,” Silver sighed. ”I know you’re scared. It’s only natural. Getting married is a big step, but you’re not a child anymore. You’ll be leading this place before you know it.” He patted Gray on the back before taking his leave. 

“That’s not it at all,” Gray whispered to his father’s retreating backside. 

He could feel his magic rising to the surface as his rage at the unfairness of his situation flared, and he let it all spill forth in a series of lances he launched at the room’s walls, uncaring of the destruction they wreaked. 

0-0 

Ur Milkovich hurried out of her office, responding to Silver’s request to meet him at their house with an update on the arsonist investigation she’d worked on for the last week. She opened the front door only to startle at the clatter that seemed to come from the sitting room they used to entertain guests. 

She grimaced, realizing Gray’s meeting with Juvia must have gone poorly. Not that it surprised her, given how clingy the girl was. Closing the door quietly behind her, she remained in the foyer, once again caught between her loyalties. 

Ur had raised both Lyon and Gray from the time they were eight years old, and she thought of both of them as her sons, which was why she had been fervently against Silver’s decision to force that idiotic marrying rule on Gray. It was the first time they’d disagreed on anything regarding the boys, and that Silver had utterly disregarded her opinion, had hurt her. It reminded her that despite her hopes to the contrary, their relationship was mostly one of convenience. 

She headed to Silver’s study concluding her attempts at comfort would only irritate Gray further. She knew he was putting as much energy into trying to get out of the marriage requirement as Silver was into enforcing it, and she could see no way to get either of them to compromise. 

Silver sat behind his desk, reading through a pile of papers with a frown. He looked up at her as she entered, nodding in acknowledgement and gesturing towards a chair as he continued to read, occasionally stopping to jot down thoughts in a notebook. 

Ur patiently waited for him to finish, continuing to study the notes she’d put together so she could answer his questions. There wasn’t much additional information, although a promising lead had come in that morning that she’d dispatched Lyon and Erza to check out. Her mind once again strayed to Gray, wondering what could have happened with Juvia to have made him so angry, and getting a definite bad feeling. 

“How is the investigation coming along?” 

Ur looked up from her notes to find Silver studying her. “It goes,” she shrugged, “I can’t find any connections between the buildings outside of them being abandoned,” she reported, “Honestly, whoever is behind this is almost doing us a favor. A lot of those buildings were death traps.” 

“They’re breaking the law, and we need to find them before something worse happens.” 

“Yes, of course. I just meant a lot of those buildings should have been torn down years ago. None of the fires have resulted in casualties, and all the buildings were owned by different people, so there is no obvious motive. Considering how quickly the buildings came down and with no traces of accelerants found at any of the fires, I’d say we’re looking for someone with strong fire magic. Anyway, we received word of a lead earlier. I’ve sent Lyon and Erza down to the marina to investigate.” 

“Tell them to report to me if they come across any additional information,” Silver requested, his attention already returning to the enormous pile of papers on his desk. 

Ur bit her lip to keep herself from asking how the meeting had gone, but she couldn’t help herself. “What happened? Gray sounded mad when I got here.” 

“He’s just throwing a tantrum,” Silver replied, shifting his attention to a different pile. 

“Why would he do that?” Ur thought out loud, “That doesn’t sound like him.” 

Silver’s mouth set in a hard line as it often did when he was getting ready to say something unpleasant, “I told him if he didn’t find a wife he could accept soon, he’d have to marry the Lockser girl on his birthday.” 

“You told him what?! You can’t possibly be serious!” 

“I’ve given him every chance to choose for himself, Ur. You know that,” his eyes implored her to understand, but after the fight they’d had, she wasn’t in a terribly forgiving mood. 

“He doesn’t love her, Silver, and you _know_ it,” Ur said, feeling so angry that for the first time in years she could feel her magic responding to it. “Why would you threaten him with that?” 

“When I was his age, I was already engaged to Mika.” 

“And what in the name of  Hel[4], does that have to do with anything?” Ur spat, “You were in love with Mika, had been for years. You told me so yourself.” 

“Exactly! He’s seventeen years old, Ur. To my knowledge, he’s never bedded a girl, or even dated one. It’s unnatural. Look at Lyon, he’s already engaged to Erza.” 

“Don’t bring Lyon into this. He and Gray are two very different men,” Ur snapped, “Is this really about Gray, or about you wanting to make sure he has an heir?” 

“Gray is _my_ son, how dare you imply I have anything but his best interests in mind?” Silver yelled. 

That did it, because while she may not have given birth to Gray, she’d been his mother by every other measure and any suggestion to the contrary infuriated her, especially after their previous fight. 

“Because this has nothing to do with his best interests, and everything to do with you enforcing that stupid law!” 

“It’s not stupid!” he growled, “It’s meant to give him time to start his family and enjoy it before he takes over as Chief.” 

Ur stared at him in shock, her magic settling as she finally understood what this was about. “What happened to you won’t happen to him. We took Deliora out together, remember?” 

“There could be others out there. I don’t want him to end up alone.” 

Silver didn’t say _like me_ , but he didn’t have to. Ur heard him loud and clear, and it hurt more than she’d expected. 

“He’s seventeen, not forty. You need to give him time to do things on his own terms!” 

“That kind of coddling is what got us in this mess. He wants it, I’ve seen it in his eyes when he looks at Lyon and Erza.” 

“And you think forcing him into a marriage is better? You’re -,” Ur bit back the rest of her retort at the jab, forcing herself to calm down. 

“You can’t force someone to love another, Silver,” Ur said, turning her face away, “Trust me, I’ve tried.” 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” 

Silver’s bewildered expression only reinforced what she knew to be true. 

“Don’t worry about it,” Ur waved away her words, already regretting the admission. “I’m going to my room.” 

A wave of melancholy swept over her, and she saw herself for the fool she was. For years she’d clung to the scraps Silver had thrown at her, hoping one day to win his heart, but it would never happen, and maybe it was time for her to consider moving on. 

“Don’t bother visiting me tonight, I feel a headache coming on.” 

She walked out of the room with a heavy heart, leaving her notes behind, and pretending she didn’t hear Silver call out to her to come back. 

0-0 

Gray’s mood must have shown on his face, for every person he walked past on his way out the door scrambled out of his way without even a greeting. 

_Good!_ He was in no mood for societal niceties. 

He walked towards the town center, hoping that checking out the street performers that were often there would help distract him from his problems, if only for a few hours. It proved to be futile, though, for everywhere he looked the sight of happy couples plagued him. 

It was always a man and a woman. Holding hands, kissing, or sharing shy glances. Seeming for all intents and purposes like they didn’t have a worry in the world. 

And it filled him with sadness. Why couldn’t he have that? Surely he couldn’t be the only one who felt this way. Where were the others? 

One thing was for sure, he needed to think of a way out of this mess, and soon. He refused to condemn himself to a life with Juvia as his wife, knowing the more he attempted to push her away, the more she would force her affections on him. 

He bought some food from a street vendor, munching on it as he walked towards the harbor, daydreaming of stowing away on one of the merchant boats. Not that he ever would. He’d been preparing to follow in his father’s footsteps since he was thirteen years old, and he took the responsibility seriously, realizing someday people’s lives would depend on his decisions. 

But there was no harm in pretending for a little while. 

“Stop, I said!” 

Gray startled, recognizing Lyon’s voice and wondering what he could want. It didn’t take him long to realize his friend wasn’t speaking to him. 

A man, who looked to be about his age, sprinted towards him, eyes darting in all directions. Gray considered stepping in to help Lyon, but held back, seeing Erza’s running form not far behind. 

Lyon was a fast runner, and it was unusual to find someone who could best him, but this guy was doing just that, which only aroused Gray’s curiosity further. He studied him with interest. Spiky pink locks jutted out in all directions. His clothes, more appropriate for the summer months, stood out in contrast to the winter garb of the region. Not that Gray particularly minded. It gave him glimpses of sun-kissed skin and taut muscles, a combination he found incredibly attractive. He only wished he could see his face more clearly. 

As he got closer, the guy took notice of him, their eyes meeting for the briefest of seconds. It was long enough for Gray to recognize fear and desperation reflected in his expression, and to appreciate the immense magic signature the man possessed. Gray couldn’t help but wonder what the man had done to warrant Lyon and Erza’s pursuit, but before he could react, the man had already run past him and towards a building he wasn’t familiar with. 

Lyon raced past him with a small wave and a grin, appearing excited by the challenge, while Erza exuded an air of determination as she pushed herself to catch up to her fiance. 

“Erza!” Gray called out, signaling for her to join him. 

“Gray?” Erza approached him, although she didn’t seem pleased by the prospect. “What are you doing all the way out here?” 

He ignored her question, not wanting to repeat his father’s ultimatum when he was much more interested in learning about the pink-haired man. “Why are you chasing that guy?” 

Erza blinked at the change of subject, “We think he’s responsible for setting off a fire in an abandoned building.” 

“Was anyone hurt?” Gray’s stomach tightened, remembering the fear in the guy’s eyes and not wanting to believe he might be a criminal. 

“No, Lyon put it out quickly,” Erza admitted, “But it’s not the first time it’s happened. There have been several fires set throughout the town in the last week.” 

“I see. Well, you’d best get back to catching him then.” 

“Lyon already went inside, I’ll stay out here until more reinforcements arrive, make sure the suspect doesn’t double back. You should get home.” 

“Yeah,” Gray said, even though he had no intention of doing so. He waved and pretended to walk off, while searching for an entrance to the building he could use when her attention had wavered. 

The guy could be a criminal, but it was also possible no one had ever trained him to control his magic. Fire was a notoriously tricky element to control, much more so than ice, or so Ur had taught them. Gray didn’t know which one was the truth, but he knew that he very much wanted to find out. 

When he reached the front of the building, he encountered a large group of well-dressed people mingling at the entrance. Seizing the opportunity, he blended in among them. 

0-0 

Natsu had hoped he’d be able to shake his pursuer inside the building. It had looked like a warehouse from the outside, so he’d expected to find lots of crates and crevices he could use to hide. He hadn’t expected to walk into a room filled with women in various stages of undress. 

Their screams at his presence did nothing to settle his magic. He tried to run through them, urging himself to remain calm, knowing what the consequences might be if he lost control. Another round of screams alerted him that his pursuer was close behind him. 

His chest rose and fell with rapid breaths as he considered his options. Where could he go? 

Before he could answer that question, he felt a yank on his arm and heard a door closing behind him. He turned, blinking in surprise as he came face to face with someone he’d never expected to see - his best friend, Lucy Heartfilia. 

“I don’t care if he sent you, I'm _not_ going back, Natsu. Do you hear me?” 

Her voice was amazingly loud for someone so petite. 

“Lucy? What are you doing here?” 

The last time he’d seen his friend had been about eight months earlier, when her father had sent her off to some kind of camp. 

“You mean my father didn’t send you here to bring me back?” 

“Bring you back? He kicked me out of your house months ago. Why would he send me after you?” 

“Kicked you out? He told me you’d left on a job with Igneel,” she sighed, throwing her hands in the air. “Why am I even surprised anymore?” 

Natsu had no time to make sense of what was happening as a loud knock rang out in the small room. 

“Who’s in there?” A thundering voice demanded, one that was teeming with authority. 

“I have to go,” he whispered, looking for a window or anything else that would let him escape from the room. 

“What’s happening?” 

He didn’t even know where to start, “There’s no time.” 

She peered into his eyes, biting her lip. 

“Just a minute,” Lucy called out, “We’re not decent.” 

The knocking on the door grew more insistent, “State your names!” 

“Lucy Heartfilia and Natsu Dragneel of the Heartfilia Konzern.” 

Natsu’s eyes widened at Lucy’s tone. It was one he recognized well, having heard her father use it many times. Lucy had now informed the man outside of her status. He should back down, but why did she have to say his name too? 

To his surprise, the hirdman didn’t back down much. “You have five minutes to finish dressing. After that I'm coming in.” 

“Why did you give him our names?” Natsu hissed, rushing to the only window in the room and finding it locked. 

“I figured that would work,” Lucy admitted, “It usually does. Well, he’s expecting to find two women in here, so I guess that’s what we’re going to give him.” 

“Are you out of your mind?!” 

They would probably lock him up. The fires had all been accidents, but how could he prove that? 

_Fuck!_

“There’s no time to argue,” Lucy grabbed some keys from a leather pouch that hung at her hip and held out her hand. 

“Do you trust me?” 

## Notes

* * *

  1. The **hird** , in Scandinavian history, was originally an informal retinue of personal armed companions, hirdmen or housecarls, but came to mean not only the nucleus ('Guards') of the royal army, but also developed into a more formal royal court household. [↩]

  2. In Norse mythology, **Skaði** (/ˈskɑːði/, sometimes anglicized as **Skadi** , **Skade** , or **Skathi** ) is a goddess associated with bowhunting, skiing, winter, and mountains. [↩]

  3. In Norse mythology, **Lindworms** (Old Norse _linnormr_ 'ensnaring snake', Norwegian _linnorm_ 'dragon', German _Lindwurm_ 'dragon') were serpent-like dragons with two arms and no legs. [↩]

  4. **Hel** , in **Norse mythology** , originally the name of the world of the dead; it later came to mean the **goddess** of death. **Hel** was one of the children of the trickster god Loki, and her kingdom was said to lie downward and northward. [↩] 





	2. Chapter 2

Gray examined the crowd of people, attempting to figure out what they were doing there. There were a lot of young couples in attendance, which seemed strange for an old building away from the town center. Several recognized him and offered a friendly wave. 

It appeared Lyon hadn’t caught the guy yet, as he observed some of his father’s hirdmen walking around the room and studying the faces of those assembled. Gray was further impressed by the fire mage, although considering his outlandish appearance, it probably wouldn’t be long before they found him. He kept an eye out, hoping to catch sight of him again. 

Gray continued to explore the large room, careful to avoid any attempts at conversation. He noticed a platform at the back decorated in silver and blue, the colors of Isvan, while a colorful sign welcomed everyone to the Isvan Employment Auction. 

Employment Auction? He’d never heard of that before. 

“What are _you_ doing here? I thought I heard Erza say you went home.” 

Gray recognized Lyon’s voice behind him and turned to smirk at his friend. “Never thought I’d see the day someone else would put you in your place.” 

“It’s just a matter of time. He’s in here somewhere.” 

Lyon didn’t seem concerned in the slightest, instead looking around the room with an odd smile. “This place takes me back.” 

“Huh? Back to what?” 

“Don’t you remember? This is where your Dad found Ur and hired her to take care of your sorry ass.” 

“Here?” 

“Oh, that’s right. I forgot we met later.” Lyon pointed to the platform, “Right up there. The organizers had demanded I wait in some back room, but Ur wouldn’t have it. Your dad came to see what the commotion was. That’s how they met.” 

“What is this place?” 

“Well, most of the time it serves as a storage building for merchant cargo, with the occasional dock worker meeting thrown in. But twice a year it hosts this employment thing for women. They can get hired as governesses, teachers, housekeepers, nannies, you name it. Ur had heard about it when we were in Brago. It’s what brought us here, actually. She’d wanted us to start a new life. You know, after everything.” 

Back then, Gray hadn’t cared about where Ur and Lyon had come from, but he struggled to accept that Ur’s introduction into his life had stemmed from anywhere so ordinary. 

He’d resented her at first, convinced she was trying to replace his mother. But once her magic lessons began, he’d cast all those feelings aside. Ur was strong. Stronger than any other ice mage he’d ever met. He’d figured if he worked hard and learned everything he could from her, he’d soon be able to avenge his mother and grandfather, and the countless others who had died at the hands of that foul demon. Lyon had been the perfect training partner, equally determined to push through all their limits. 

Why had he never thought to ask him why? He’d always known Ur wasn’t Lyon’s mother, but it startled him to realize that even after all these years, he had no clue how they’d ended up together. Lyon was the closest thing he’d ever had to a brother, and it disheartened him to realize how little he truly knew about him. 

He opened his mouth to say something, but never got the chance as a man he recognized as Invel Yura, one of his father’s advisors, stepped onto the platform and commanded everyone’s attention. 

“Ladies and Gentlemen, I am pleased to welcome you to this year’s Winter Employment Auction.” 

The participants crowded around the platform eagerly, applauding the announcement. 

“As many of you might know, our late Chief, Sterling Fullbuster, founded the Employment Auction over twenty-five years ago.” Invel peered at the audience, smiling when he recognized Gray. 

“An ardent supporter of women’s rights, Chief Sterling sought to create a safe environment for women to find employment in our great town. Over the years, we have helped place hundreds of women, and as word of our experiment has reached other towns, we have seen increased participation. We are proud to continue this tradition, and we hope that our future Chief, who is with us today, will see fit to continue it for many years to come.” 

Gray groaned internally, even as he smiled and waved at those who acknowledged him, realizing he now had no choice but to stay until the conclusion of the event. He attempted but failed to ignore Lyon’s laughter at his predicament. With a parting clap on the shoulder, Lyon informed him he was returning to his search, promising to check in with him later. 

He listened as Invel followed his introduction with an explanation of how the auction worked. It seemed to be divided into three phases. In the first phase, employers received a clipboard with several bid forms and were allotted two hours to interview candidates. Each candidate wore a pin on her right shoulder that showed her identification number. 

Once time was up, the second phase began. Employers submitted their bids at the platform, placing them into envelopes marked with the candidate’s identification number. Each bid needed to describe the job duties and pay offered clearly. 

During the third phase, all candidates would receive their envelopes. They would then evaluate the enclosed offers and pick out the job situation that most appealed to them. Should any issues arise, Invel would mediate them. Seemed simple enough. 

With the explanation now at an end, Invel announced the candidates’ entrance and ceded the platform. 

Gray was curious to see how many women were taking part, considering the number of people present, but Invel’s approach blocked his view. 

Invel bowed his head briefly, and then immediately launched into a scolding. “This is most unusual, Master Gray. All prospective employers must pass a thorough investigation before being allowed to take part. It is one of the safety measures we’ve set in place. Given your position, however, I will allow it this one time. In the future, see that you submit a request in advance.” 

Invel thought he was here to hire someone? For what, court jester? Lyon already filled that role nicely. Still, it was easier to play along than attempt to explain how he’d gotten there. 

“I apologize, I wasn’t thinking. Thank you for your understanding.” 

He accepted the clipboard Invel offered him with a polite smile. 

“Of course,” Invel said, “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I see someone trying to get my attention. Good luck.” 

Gray killed time by walking around the room and trying to blend in, half-listening to conversations around him while keeping an eye out for his mystery man. He still found it hard to believe Ur had been a part of one of these. None of the participants seemed remotely like her. His eyes nearly popped out of their sockets when he recognized one candidate. 

_Shit!_ What in Hel’s name was Lucy Heartfilia doing here? She’d been the last girl he’d sent home before Juvia. Was she here because of that? Should he go talk to her? 

Just as he was deciding it would be best for him to avoid her, another girl joined her. One that immediately drew his interest. Her steps were awkward, and she seemed ill at ease in the formal clothes. Her walk reminded him of a young Erza proudly showing off her first pair of heels, even though she could barely walk in them. 

Her pink hair came down to her shoulders in loose waves, while the blue gown she wore contrasted nicely against her tanned skin. At first glance, Gray merely thought her a beautiful girl, until he got a good glimpse at her face. 

His eyes widened as he recognized the features. He forgot all about avoiding Lucy, compelled by the need to know if he was right. 

“Hi Lucy.” 

“Gray.” 

Her tone was not welcoming in the slightest, but he ignored it, smiling at her as if they were old friends. His gaze soon shifted to her companion, hoping to force her to speak. If he was right about who she was, she’d try to avoid it. 

“Hello, I’m Gray Fullbuster, a pleasure to make your acquaintance.” Gray offered his hand in greeting. The girl had been about to shake it when Lucy noticed. 

“Natsu!” 

The girl’s hand stopped in midair, and she peered at Lucy in confusion. Gray smirked, that was one point for him. 

“Natsu, that’s a lovely name, and something we could certainly use a lot more of in Isvan.” 

She tilted her head, frowning cutely at him. 

“It means summer, doesn’t it?” 

“Oh yes, it does,” Natsu replied in a silken voice, which was not at all what Gray had been expecting. Could he be wrong? Was she just a small-town girl who’d come to Isvan in search of a job and was understandably nervous? 

“What sorts of jobs are you interested in?” 

“We’re looking to be nannies, or governesses. Something I know you’re not in any need of, so if you’ll just excuse us,” Lucy grabbed Natsu’s hand and yanked her away towards a young couple. 

Natsu tried to keep up, but ended up losing her balance. Gray was quick to catch her, and as he did, he felt her magic flare, materializing into a thin layer of flames that traveled across her arms. 

“Let go of me!” 

She struggled in his arms; the flames spreading as she did so, skirting ever closer to the fabric of her dress. Gray’s eyes darted up to follow their path, noting absently that her pin had the number seven emblazoned on it. “I don’t want to hur-.” 

“Steady there,” Gray interrupted, smiling down at her as he called on his magic, coating her arms in an icy mist that quickly put out the flames before they could blaze out of control. 

Natsu’s jaw dropped as Gray dispelled his flames, “How did you do that?” 

Gray wasn’t able to respond right away, for after the initial satisfaction at having succeeded, he’d peered into Natsu’s eyes and now found himself utterly lost in them. He’d never seen any more beautiful. Bursts of green converged on a gold-rimmed pupil, reminding him of the early morning nature walks he’d once taken with his mother in the summers. And when those eyes met his, Gray couldn’t help but recognize the fear and desperation that lurked in their depths. 

Pink hair, tanned skin, fire magic, fear - not to mention the awkward way she carried herself. Everything pointed to this being the guy Lyon was after but made up to look and sound like a strikingly beautiful woman. Hell, he’d done such a good job it would even convince Silver. 

Natsu must have gotten help from someone here. No, not someone. Gray knew exactly who. 

Lucy Heartfilia. 

What was her magic? He wracked his brain but couldn’t remember, and that more than anything forced him to acknowledge he'd barely paid any attention to her during their meeting, or to any of the others. But none of that mattered right now because he had a choice to make. 

“I just used my magic to push yours back,” Gray finally replied, struggling to keep his voice level so as not to give away that he knew Natsu’s identity. 

Natsu gazed at him, his mouth suddenly breaking into a lopsided grin that elicited a strange fluttering in Gray’s chest and complicated his thoughts further. 

“Let’s gooo, Natsu,” Lucy urged, and while Natsu had seemed ready to protest, she spun around and followed. 

Gray turned to see what had spooked her and spotted Lyon walking swiftly towards them. He could tell from his friend’s expression that he’d already reached the same conclusion. 

What should he do, which side should he take? 

Gray was the future Chief of Isvan. He knew well that his thoughts should be on the danger this man could pose to his people. But that brief interaction had shown him his instincts had been correct. Natsu didn’t appear to have control over his magic, and Gray had sensed no malice coming from him. In fact, it had been just the opposite. He'd acted terrified when his magic had flared. It just didn’t add up. 

Still, Lyon was his best friend, his foster brother, and he didn’t want to get him in trouble either. 

Then Gray thought about how his heart had felt at the sight of that grin and how he’d considered Natsu’s appearance could fool even Silver, and a plan formed in his mind. 

Confident that Natsu didn’t pose a danger to Isvan, Gray considered pursuing a different choice. One that could both help him _and_ protect Natsu from the hird until he could learn control of his magic. 

The more he thought about it, the more convinced Gray became it was the only way to get out of this wedding mess. If he could persuade Natsu to pretend to be his fiancee, he wouldn’t have to marry Juvia and it would give him time to see if something could blossom between them. 

He grabbed Lyon by the arm, ignoring his protests as he searched for a place where they could speak privately. 

“We need to talk.” 

0-0 

Gray found a small office near the building’s entrance and shoved Lyon inside. He closed the door behind them and launched into a swift explanation of his plan, but Lyon wouldn’t even let him finish. 

“Absolutely not!” 

“You’re being unreasonable. Erza said no one was hurt in any of the fires. You must have felt his magic signature. If that were his intent, why only target abandoned buildings?” 

“To gauge our response for when he launches his actual attack.” 

Gray groaned as he recognized Lyon’s stubborn streak kicking in. He didn’t have time to argue. For his plan to work, he’d need to put a bid in soon. 

“What did you expect me to say?” Lyon crossed his arms over his chest. “You don’t know the first thing about this guy, and what little you know points to him being a criminal.” 

“He’s terrified. I could see it in his eyes when he lost control a few moments ago. You didn’t see his face when I pushed his fire back. He was relieved.” 

“He lost control _here_?! That’s even more reason to keep him away from our house. He could hurt everyone we care about.” 

Lyon had that I know better than you expression on his face that Gray hated with every fiber of his being. 

“While surrounded by ice mages?” he snapped, struggling to keep his temper in check despite Lyon’s attitude. He’d known this wouldn’t be easy, but he’d hoped Lyon would be more willing to see his side. Screw it, if logic wouldn’t work then he’d go for pity. It’s not like he wasn’t desperate. 

“When I talked with him earlier, I felt something.” 

“You just met him, Gray.” 

“I know that, but feeling something is already more than the nothing I feel for Juvia. And if I don’t find someone soon, I’ll have no choice but to marry _her_ on my birthday. Fader said so after you left.” 

“He said that?” 

Lyon looked away, the first outward sign that he was weakening. 

“Time’s up, please enter your bids now,” Invel’s voice echoed through the building’s speaker lacrima, injecting an air of urgency to their conversation. 

Lyon had shifted his gaze back to him, his eyes boring into him for what seemed like a lifetime. Gray held his breath, worried the slightest gesture from him might work against him. 

“I won’t pretend to understand the attraction you feel toward guys, but I can’t imagine how I’d feel if Ur forced me into a marriage.” He remained silent for a few more moments before announcing, “I’m so going to regret this.” 

It took Gray a full minute for the meaning to seep into his brain, but once it did, he beamed with excitement. “I knew I could count on you!” 

Lyon grinned, “You mean you knew you could con me.” 

Gray didn’t have time to refute the charge as Lyon swiftly turned serious, “Just promise me you’ll be careful,” 

“I will.” 

And he meant it. He understood the trust Lyon was placing in him, and he would do his best to be worthy of it. 

“I gotta go put in my bid,” Gray reached for the doorknob, but Lyon grabbed his arm. 

“Hold on there, Romeo. You’re going to have to hire someone for real.” 

“What? Why?” 

“Invel saw you, dumbass. I’m sure he’ll mention it to Silver. If you only show up with your dream girl, Silver will know something’s up.” 

“Oh.” 

Gray hadn’t considered that, but had to admit it made sense. Who could he hire and for what? The only other person he’d talked to was Lucy, and he was pretty sure she hated his guts. 

But if she’d helped Natsu, he should probably monitor her too, just in case he was wrong about all this. 

“Oh, and Gray?” Lyon said as Gray opened the door. 

Gray turned his head impatiently, waiting to hear what Lyon had to say, even though he was pretty sure he already knew. 

“If he refuses your offer, I _will_ arrest him.” 

Gray scowled at the words but nodded his understanding. He’d just have to make sure that didn’t happen. 

As Lyon issued new orders to his men through his communication lacrima, Gray offered a silent prayer to his favorite deity. 

He had a feeling Loki would understand where he was coming from. 

0-0 

“I can’t wait to see how many bids I got!” Lucy said as they stood with the other candidates, waiting for the organizer to arrive with their envelopes. 

“I just want to get out of here.” 

The last two hours had been incredibly stressful for Natsu. He’d felt ill at ease with all the stares and attempts at conversation, not to mention the uncomfortable clothes Lucy had forced him to wear. It had taken all of his self-control not to run out of there. When that light blue-haired hirdman had walked towards them, he’d thought he’d get arrested for sure. 

The organizer finally got to them, checking the numbers on their pins against the large envelopes he was carrying and handing them each one. They both thanked him. 

“I bet you I got a bunch,” Lucy said while opening her envelope, “I was killing it out there!” 

Natsu held on to his envelope but didn’t bother opening it, assuming it was empty. Instead, he watched the expressions of the other women with interest. There were a lot of happy tears, and it made him feel good that things had gone well for them. 

“One?! I got one stinking offer? Don’t these people know who I am?” 

Natsu turned his attention back to Lucy, alarmed by the loudness of her voice. “Hey Lucy, can you keep it down? We’re trying to avoid attention, remember?” 

“Right,” Lucy said, her voice coming back down to normal levels. “I’m sorry, it’s just when I stuck around here for this I thought I’d have lots of choices, you know?” 

“Well, but one is better than none, right?” 

“I suppose.” 

“What’s it for, anyway? Is it from that guy that kept staring at your boobs?” Natsu nudged her with his shoulder, trying to get her out of her foul mood. 

“Ew, I hope not,” Lucy giggled, “You’re right though, I bet it’s gonna be something great, and at least I won’t have to go back home.” 

He should have realized her sudden silence wasn’t a good sign, but he was too busy thinking about how he couldn’t wait to get back into his clothes to notice. His thoughts wandered back to that ice mage, wishing he’d been able to talk to him longer and ask him for help with his problem. He’d seemed like an okay guy. 

“That sonofabitch! Does he think he’s funny? Is that it? Is he _trying_ to ruin my life?” 

Lucy continued to rant, getting progressively louder. All the other candidates had moved away from them and the man who had handed them their envelopes was making his way towards them, his features set in a scowl. Natsu wanted nothing more than to leave his friend there and make a run for it, ridiculous shoes and all. He could feel his magic surging and his panic mounted. 

“Shh, Lucy, please!” 

Natsu closed his eyes, resigned to his imminent arrest, this time for disturbing the peace. 

“Invel, you may return to your duties, I’ll handle this.” 

“Of course, Master Gray, I’ll leave it in your capable hands.” 

“You!” 

The venom in Lucy’s voice surprised Natsu but not as much as recognizing the other voice. It belonged to the guy who had caught him earlier, who, now that he thought about it, had acted as if he knew Lucy. His pulse sped up as he realized there was still a chance to ask him for help. 

“So, you finally found someone who wasn’t quite so... what was it you said? Oh yes, perky,” Lucy seethed, “and now you want me to be your nanny? Do you even know what your little stunt cost me?” 

“Look, I’m sorry about the whole turning you down thing,” Gray said, “It was nothing personal, okay? I’m sure you’re perfect.” 

“Damn right I am!” 

Natsu looked from one to the other, completely lost to what was going on. 

“Could you keep your voice down?” Gray hissed, “I just want a minute to plead my case before you decide.” 

“She only got the one offer,” Natsu revealed without thinking. 

“Seriously?” Gray laughed, “Must be her charming personality.” 

Natsu wanted to laugh at the retort, but he knew better than to provoke Lucy when she was seriously pissed. “Dude, you are so not helping your case.” 

He frowned, hating how strange his voice sounded. 

“Oh, right.” Gray ran his fingers through his hair, and flashed a sheepish grin that, while oddly distracting to Natsu, did nothing to placate Lucy. 

“Well, you can take your job offer and shove it where the sun doesn't shine.” 

Gray’s shoulders slumped at her words, “I already said I was sorry, didn’t I? Besides, I only wrote nanny cause it was something you were considering. You can do whatever you want. If you’d bothered to look at the actual offer, you’d see the pay is more than fair.” 

Lucy examined the paper, her eyes widening as she read the offer over, finally looking up at Gray with a guarded expression. “I don’t understand.” 

“I’ll be happy to explain, but not here. I’ll need both of you for what I have in mind. Well, to be honest, it’s up to Natsu. If she doesn’t agree, then the offer is off,” Gray said, turning to Natsu. 

“You want my help?” 

“Yeah, didn’t you see my offer?” 

“There’s something in here?” Natsu opened his envelope, saw there were several pieces of paper inside, and snapped it shut quickly. 

“Well? Let’s see it,” Lucy gave him a curious glance, “What did he put down on yours?” 

“Um, it doesn’t matter. He can just tell me.” 

“Honestly, I’d rather you read it, it’s kind of embarrassing.” 

“It, uh, doesn’t matter what it is,” Natsu said, hiding the envelope behind his back, “I’m happy to do it as long you promise to help me with my magic.” 

“Yeah, sure, I can do that.” 

Gray looked relieved and Natsu wondered what he’d just gotten himself into, but it didn’t really matter. Lucy had saved him from the hirdmen, and it seemed as if she wouldn’t have a job if he didn’t accept. Plus, he wasn’t afraid of hard work, and getting help in controlling his increasingly erratic magic would make it worth his while. 

“Alright, then you have yourself a deal,” Natsu offered his hand to seal the deal, not knowing how to respond when Gray pulled it up to his mouth for a kiss instead of shaking it. 

It was then he understood two things. First, why Lucy had yelled at him earlier. It hadn’t occurred to him that girls rarely shook hands. Second, and by far the most important, Gray thought he was a girl. 

He was about to clear that up when a more pressing issue presented itself. The hirdman who’d been chasing him earlier walked up to them, and although Natsu desperately wanted to run away, he knew he couldn’t do that without giving himself away. He only hoped that the guy would leave quickly and not look at him too closely. 

“Everything okay over here, Gray?” 

“Everything’s fine!” Gray smiled, “I’d like you to meet Natsu. And you remember Lucy?” 

“Yes, of course, lovely to see you again, Lucy,” The hirdman bowed slightly to both of them, gazing at Natsu with open curiosity. 

“Natsu love, I’d like you to meet Lyon, my foster brother.” 

_That guy was Gray’s foster brother?!_

That complicated everything! How could he tell Gray the truth about who he was now? 

He couldn’t and he didn’t like what that implied. The more agitated he became, the more his magic roared, itching to get out. Natsu had almost given up on containing it when Gray placed his hand on the small of his back, reining in the fire that churned inside him with one simple gesture. 

Natsu didn't understand the how or why of it, but it made him realize that the safest place for him right now was by Gray’s side, at least until he could regain control of his magic. So he met Lyon’s gaze and flashed him his most disarming smile. 

“It’s so nice to meet you.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I have to admit it's been quite a while since I've had so much fun writing Lucy. Poor Natsu, he has no idea what he's gotten himself into. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I'd love to hear from you!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the first of two arts Oryu404 will be doing for this fic  
> . Please do not repost without Oryu404's permission.

“Did you have to bring everything you own?” Lyon groaned after loading another one of Lucy’s suitcases onto the carriage that Gray had hired to take them from the inn where Lucy had been staying to their new home. 

“These are just my winter clothes,” Lucy said, “but I’ll be sure to let you know when I send for the summer ones.” 

“Don’t feel like you have to.” 

“You should be used to it by now, with the way Erza packs,” Gray said, laughing away Lyon’s complaints. 

“That’s different, we’re engaged!” 

Natsu tuned them out from inside the carriage. He rested his head on the seat, eyes sliding shut as the exhaustion from days of not sleeping very much, and eating even less caught up to him. 

He awoke to the feeling of his stomach staging a full revolt. Groaning in misery, he covered his mouth and willed himself not to throw up. 

“Is she okay?” 

“She gets motion sickness,” Lucy explained, “Been like that ever since I can remember. She’ll be fine once the carriage stops.” 

Natsu tried to say something to reassure Gray, who had sounded concerned, but all that came out was a worrying gurgle. 

A hand brushed his, so lightly Natsu wondered if he’d imagined it, but Gray’s assurance followed it. “It should only be a few more minutes.” 

“You could try icing her neck,” Lyon suggested, “That works for Erza when she’s feeling queasy.” 

“Queasy? You don’t mean to say-?” 

“Get your mind out of the gutter!” Lyon spluttered, causing both Gray and Lucy to dissolve into giggles. “I meant when she gets sick after eating too much cake.” 

After months of self-imposed isolation, the sound of their laughter cheered Natsu immensely. Even if he wasn’t clear on what it was they were laughing about. 

A moment later, he felt Gray’s hand touch his again, this time squeezing it to get his attention. “May I ice your neck?” 

Natsu figured it was worth a try, so he grunted his assent, worried about what might happen if he tried to talk. Gray moved the hair away from the nape of his neck, replacing it with his hand. 

“Ice-make: compress.” 

The resulting mist was soothing against Natsu’s neck, the ice creating a welcome distraction from his misery. It didn’t cure his nausea, but it made it feel much more bearable. 

“Thank you.” 

It was all the words he could manage at that moment, but he hoped Gray understood he meant it not just for the ice, but for all the times he’d already come to his rescue. 

“We’re here.” 

There was a tinge of excitement to Gray’s voice, but Natsu didn’t dare open his eyes, preferring to wait for the moment the carriage finally stopped. 

0-0 

Lucy exited the carriage along with Lyon and Gray. She stared at the two opposing staircases with a frown. From her visit the previous week, Lucy knew each staircase comprised seven steps leading to a small platform, from which a shorter set of stairs ushered visitors to the manor’s front door. It was nothing strenuous, but given Natsu’s current condition, it might as well be a mile’s walk. 

“How long is she going to be like this?” Gray asked, peering into the carriage where Natsu had remained, hunched over his stomach as his body continued to struggle against his motion sickness. 

“It usually takes a bit for her stomach to settle. She’ll be fine,” Lucy said, pulling Natsu out of the carriage and trying to force him to stand on his own, which was no easy feat given the high heels that were part of the outfit her spirit Virgo had brought from the Celestial World. 

Gray attempted to carry him in his arms, but Natsu protested, just as Lucy knew he would. So they compromised, with Gray offering Natsu his arm to hold on to for support. It was slow going, and Lyon gave up on waiting for them, using the other stairs to make his way inside. 

“I remember him being more charming,” Lucy muttered, and narrowing her eyes at Gray she added, “and you being decidedly less so.” 

Gray only shrugged, focusing his attention on helping Natsu tackle the stairs, “You know, this would go much faster if you’d just let me carry you the rest of the way.” 

“You don’t have to help me at all,” Natsu replied, his lips pressed together stubbornly, “I can do it myself, you know.” 

Gray snickered as Natsu lost his balance on the icy steps, “Of course you can, dear.” He switched his attention back to Lucy. “I asked the staff to prepare my apartment for the two of you. I’m not sure how long it will take to get it ready. It’s been a while since anyone’s lived there.” 

Lucy frowned. Gray had called Natsu love at the auction house, and now he was calling him dear? He’d also been rather attentive in the carriage, his behavior a sharp contrast to the aloofness she’d experienced during their meeting. She had a bad feeling about where this was all going, especially with Natsu so focused on whatever was happening with his magic that he didn’t seem to care about anything else. What was he even doing in Isvan, and where was Igneel? 

She chose her next words with care. “Are you planning on living there as well?” 

Gray shook his head. 

Lucy was about to move on to her next question when Gray cut her off. 

“I’m sure you have a lot of questions, and I promise I’ll answer all of them once we have some privacy.” 

They were already at his house, it’s not like she had any choice but to accept his promise. She rubbed her arms, trying to coax some warmth back into them. “Ugh, is it always this cold in Isvan?” 

“No,” Gray laughed, “Sometimes it's colder.” 

“Lovely.” 

They finally reached the platform, but rather than continuing on to the next short set of steps, Natsu clung to the banister with one hand and Gray with the other, his breath coming in shallow pants. Gray stood next to him, looking bored but voicing no complaint. Lucy wanted to scream in frustration, and though she had half a mind to wait for them inside, she was wary of leaving the two alone together until she knew more. 

“Natsu, can you please just let Gray help you? I’m freezing!” 

“It’s only a few more steps,” Natsu pointed out, but Lucy didn’t feel like waiting any longer. She grabbed on to his other arm and pulled, ignoring his protests, until together she and Gray had lifted him over the remaining steps and into the house. 

Lyon met them at the door carrying fire warmed blankets he draped over their shoulders. It felt heavenly, and Lucy took back every mean thing she’d ever said about him. 

Gray disappeared for a moment, returning with a pair of fur lined leather slippers for Natsu. “Here you go, these should make it easier for you to move around.” 

Natsu took off his shoes and replaced them with the slippers, “That is so much better.” 

On her last visit, Lucy had been too nervous about her impending meeting with Gray to pay much attention to her surroundings. The only reason she remembered the number of steps was because she had counted each one off in her head to steady her nerves. This time around, she gaped at the large foyer, admiring the two elegant wooden staircases that curved gracefully to the second floor before following Lyon and Gray up the left staircase. 

A large sitting room awaited them at the top of the stairs, furnished with plenty of chairs and couches, all facing three full-length picture windows. It was almost dark, but Lucy could still make out the outline of the mountains and at their bottom a darker area she thought might be a lake. She couldn’t wait to see it in daylight. 

“Do you like it?” Lyon stood next to her, and when she nodded, he smiled. “Gray’s grandfather designed it for his wife. It’s one of my favorite parts of the house. Sometimes you can even see the aurora borealis from up here.” 

The thought excited Lucy. She’d heard several people talk of the phenomenon, but she still hadn’t glimpsed it. 

Gray walked over to the door on the left, “This is where you’ll stay. That other door is the entrance to my father’s apartment, where Lyon and I live.” 

That same door opened, revealing two women exiting the apartment. They walked over to them with welcoming smiles. The older one reminded Lucy of Gray, with pale skin and short black hair that framed her face. She assumed that was his mother. Her companion was a beautiful girl with long red hair that came down to her waist. She wore a hird uniform and peered at them with interest. 

“Oh boys, since you’re both here,” the woman said, “I’d like a word with you.” 

“I should get them settled in-” 

“Nonsense, I’m sure Erza wouldn’t mind doing that for you,” the older woman waved away Gray’s protests. 

“Not at all. Hi, I’m Erza,” the red-haired girl introduced herself with a friendly wave, and the way Lyon moved to her side reminded Lucy of Gray’s teasing in the carriage. This must be the fiancée who loved cake. 

“Hi, I’m Lucy and this is Natsu.” 

“Nice to meet you and welcome to Fullbuster Manor. I’m Ur, Gray and Lyon’s Master.” 

“Master?” 

“Yes, I’m their magic teacher,” Ur explained to Natsu, “I can feel a lot of magic in you, both of you actually. What types of magic do you practice?” 

“I have fire dragon slaying magic.” 

“And I’m a celestial mage.” 

“How exciting! Both are pretty rare.” Ur said, her mouth curving into an inviting smile. “Perhaps you’d like to join us for training while you’re here? It’s a bit too dark right now, but you can normally see our training hall from here.” 

“I’m all fired up!” 

“I’ll think about it, but I guarantee you won’t be able to keep Natsu away,” Lucy couldn’t help but giggle at how ridiculous Natsu sounded, saying his favorite phrase while using the feminine voice her celestial spirit Lyra had enchanted him with. 

“Great! Well, I’ll leave you in Erza’s capable hands. You should have just enough time to get settled before dinner. I’m looking forward to hearing all about you then.” Ur waved, and Lyon and Gray followed her back to their apartment. 

“She’s nice,” Natsu commented, earning an approving glance from Erza. 

“I hope you don’t think me rude for asking, but what is your relation to Gray?” 

“Oh, not at all,” Lucy tittered, scrambling to decide what to say that wouldn’t mess Gray up later. “He hired me at the employment auction this afternoon.” 

Lucy figured she might as well say as much of the truth as she could, “As for Natsu, I’m afraid Gray wants to announce that himself.” 

She changed the subject, “What about you? Did I hear you’re engaged to Lyon?” 

“Y-yes,” Erza stammered, her face crimsoning as she showed Lucy and Natsu her ring. 

“That’s a beautiful ring!” Lucy gushed, holding Erza’s hand up to the oil lamp’s soft light. 

Erza seemed flustered by the attention, but also pleased. She opened the door of the apartment and led them inside. 

0-0 

“He got away from you?” Ur frowned at Lyon. “That doesn’t sound like you.” 

“He used the crowd at the auction to his advantage,” Lyon shrugged, fiddling with the beads in his braid. “I’ll get him next time.” 

“For your sake, I hope there isn’t a next time. Silver is already furious it’s gone on this long. Were you at least able to get a good look at him?” 

Lyon scratched his head, pretending to think it over. “Not really, I mostly saw his backside. He had short spiky pink hair, and his clothing was strange. Definitely not from around here. Maybe Erza saw more?” 

“No, she said about the same, I was hoping you’d have more information.” 

“Sorry, not this time.” 

“Well, go talk to Silver anyway, he insisted on a report. Invel complained about the hirdmen presence at the Auction, so I’m sure he’ll have more questions.” 

Ur turned to Gray, “He’ll want to speak to you as well. Invel apprised him of your presence.” 

_Fucking Invel!_

Gray met Lyon’s gaze, unsurprised to see a triumphant smirk that screamed I told you so. It made him glad to have heeded the advice. The smirk, however, was short-lived. A more nervous look replaced it, as Lyon went off in search of Silver, filling Gray with guilt. 

Lyon might attempt to act aloof, but Gray knew how much he hated to lie, especially to Ur. Now, Lyon would have to lie to Silver too, and he wasn’t likely to be as forgiving. Gray promised himself he’d make it up to him at some point. 

He turned his attention back to Ur, who was gazing at him expectantly. 

“It’s something Farfar[1] felt strongly about,” Gray said. And it was true, even if he’d never known about it until that day. “I was just taking an interest.” 

“And it’s a good thing I did,” he continued, not giving Ur a chance to ask questions he might not be ready to answer, “or I wouldn’t have met Natsu.” 

“The fire dragon slayer?” Ur’s lips pressed into a slight frown as she listened. 

“Yeah, her. We met at the Auction, and it was just, I don’t know. Love at first sight, I guess?” 

“Oh, Gray, honey,” Ur grabbed his hand and peered into his eyes, “You can’t expect me to believe that. Not after you’ve refused to even consider any of the other girls. I know about the ultimatum your father gave you, and I promise, I’ll work on him until he changes his mind about Juvia.” 

It was tempting to let Ur fight his father on his behalf, but he knew it wasn’t fair to put additional stress on her and Silver’s relationship. Plus, he was an adult, or close enough to count. The time for hiding behind his mother’s skirts was long past. 

Still, Ur was the one person Silver might listen to. Gray had hoped she’d be so excited about him meeting someone he was genuinely interested in that she wouldn’t question his story. But it hadn’t worked out that way. He’d have to find another way to get her support or give up on his plan altogether. 

From a young age, Silver had taught Gray that lies were something he should avoid as much as possible. But he’d also said that sometimes they were a necessary evil. An effective leader, Silver had lectured, resorted to lies only after he had exhausted all other avenues, and he was wise enough to include enough fact to lend the lie an air of truth. 

Gray thought about Natsu, trying to settle on a truth that might convince Ur of the lie. He soon realized it wasn’t as hard as he’d thought. All he needed to do was remember Natsu’s smile and how it had made him feel, or even the anxiety that had come over him at his motion sickness in the carriage. If he could get that through to her, there was no way she wouldn’t be on his side. 

“I know how it sounds, but when she smiled at me for the first time. I- I felt something in my heart,” Gray moved their joined hands up to his heart. “Nothing like this has ever happened to me before, Ur. I don’t know how else to explain it but love at first sight.” 

Ur let go of his hand, her expression softening. “Sweetheart-” 

“Let me have this,” Gray pleaded, “All I’m asking for is the chance to get to know her better and see if maybe she’d want to be mine.” 

“You’re right, you do deserve that chance,” Ur said, offering him a tired smile, “I just hope you know what you’re doing.” 

“Thank you, Ur.” 

She pressed her hands to his cheeks, patting them gently. “How could I say no to my adorable student?” 

“You should get ready for dinner, I’ll go tell Ooba to set two additional plates.” She walked toward the door, turning to him with an impish grin. “She’s beautiful.” 

Gray looked away even though she didn’t wait for his reaction, surprised by the unexpected flush that crept up his cheeks at her parting words. 

_Yeah, he really was._

He hurried to his room to change his clothes, determined to speak to Natsu before they faced his father at dinner. 

0-0 

“I thought she’d never leave,” Lucy complained after closing the door behind Erza, who had promised to come get them for dinner. 

“I like her.” 

“I like her too,” Lucy admitted, “She just didn’t leave us much time to figure out what’s going on.” 

Natsu sat in one of the room’s rocking chairs, swinging back and forth wildly. 

“Stop that,” Lucy scolded, “that chair is worth more than everything you own.” 

“That wouldn’t be too hard, seeing as I don’t have anything.” 

Lucy studied him with concern, but shook her head, “Nevermind, we’ll discuss that later. Where did you put your envelope? We need to figure out what we’ve gotten ourselves into.” 

Natsu knew nothing good would come from Lucy finding out he’d received more offers than her, so he changed the subject. 

“How do you know Gray, anyway?” 

“Ugh, don’t remind me,” Lucy raged, eyes shooting sparks at the memory of whatever had happened between them. “My father sent me here hoping Gray would choose me as his fiancée. The jerk turned me down, said I was too perky for his taste. Can you believe that? I mean, it’s not like I wanted to marry him either, but - What’s wrong with being perky?” 

Natsu could absolutely believe that, despite loving Lucy like a sister. She’d been the only person besides Igneel and now, Gray, to take an active interest in him. He’d risk his life for her in a second, but he also knew that many people found her personality overbearing. The little he’d seen of Lyon and Gray made him think they’d fall into that category. 

“I’m sure he’ll tell us more when he gets a chance,” Natsu stood up, stretching his arms above his head and examining the room they were in. It was the first time he’d set foot inside a residence since he’d arrived in Isvan, having spent most of his time hiding in abandoned buildings, trying to figure out how to search for Igneel in a strange country. At least he was lucky the language was mostly the same. 

“Shouldn’t you be more concerned?” 

Natsu turned his attention back to Lucy. “About what? I already said I’d do whatever it was.” 

“You can’t just make promises like that, Natsu. People will take advantage of you.” 

“You worry too much,” he said, waving away her concern, “I just wish I didn’t have to keep wearing these clothes, I feel stupid. Not to mention I don’t know the first thing about acting like a girl.” 

“Well, you look fabulous!” 

Natsu sincerely doubted it, but he appreciated the sentiment. 

“Why were those hirdmen after you, anyway?” Lucy’s forehead furrowed with worry. 

“I think that’s a longer story than what we have time for right now. Don’t you have to get ready for dinner?” 

“It’s not just me, Natsu. Didn’t you hear Gray’s mother? You’re invited too.” 

“That’s not his mother.” 

“What are you talking about? She looks just like him.” 

“Maybe, but they smell nothing alike,” Natsu said absently, his mind full of this fresh problem. Why would they want him to join the family for dinner? When he’d lived with the Heartfilias, he’d always taken his meals with the staff. 

“Well, but isn’t your freaky magic on the fritz?” 

“My senses have nothing to do with my fire,” he explained, “Are you sure about dinner? I never had to do that at your house.” 

“You really have no clue what’s happening, do you?” Lucy looked heavenward in one of her over dramatic gestures that drove him nuts. 

“I’m the one who’s with the staff, _you_ are part of the family.” 

“Part of the family? What are you talking about? We were both hired by Gray, weren't we?” Natsu paled. Suddenly there was the looming threat of forks to remember and napkins to use, all while wearing this ridiculous getup. Igneel had tried his best to instill manners in him, but Natsu had just never been that interested. 

“Oh ho! Not feeling so relaxed now, huh?” Lucy watched him panic, her mouth twitching in amusement. 

“What am I going to do? It’s going to be a disaster! You gotta help me!” 

“Well first, I guess we should figure out what you’re going to wear,” Lucy headed into the room she had claimed as her bedroom, her suitcases already lined up against the wall. 

“Can’t you just summon your spirits again?” He called out. If he felt uncomfortable wearing this dress, he shuddered to think of how he would feel wearing one of Lucy’s skimpy outfits. Not to mention she was several inches shorter than him. 

“That’s not how celestial contracts work, I’ve already called on them today.” 

“Your magic is weird.” 

“And yours is out of whack,” she walked out of the bedroom, holding up a small piece of fabric that only she would consider clothing. “What’s up with that?” 

“I dunno. I got sick right before I was supposed to leave with Igneel. Spetto took care of me, but my magic has been screwy ever since.” 

“That’s strange,” Lucy muttered, “If we were still at home we could have searched my mother’s library. I doubt there will be much here that will be of help. Maybe Grandpa Crux might know something. I could try summoning him later.” 

“Who?” 

“Don’t worry about it. For now, let’s get you into this dress.” 

Natsu held up the dress that Lucy handed him against his body. The skirt would barely reach down to the middle of his thighs. 

A knock on the door saved him from having to put it on. Lucy walked to the door and opened it. To his surprise, Erza stood on the other side holding several items in her arms. 

“Erza, you’re back so soon,” Lucy gestured to her to come inside, closing the door behind her. 

Erza looked stunning. She had changed out of her hird uniform and into a cream colored long-sleeved gown that reached down to her ankles. Over it she wore a woolen apron dress in a deep shade of blue that was open at the front. It was several inches shorter than her gown, in the fashion worn by well-to-do maidens in Isvan. Two gold brooches attached the straps of the apron dress to the gown, with strands of colorful beads strung between them. A third brooch held the fabric in place, creating the illusion of a neckline. A light blue patterned belt added a splash of color around her slim waist. Her long red hair was tied in a ponytail knot held in place by an ornate hair stick. 

She offered Natsu the items she was carrying. It appeared to be several outfits similar to the one she was wearing. “I remembered you saying you had no belongings with you, so I brought you some of my clothes to wear until you can get some new ones.” 

“Thank you so much,” Natsu cheered, giving Erza a quick hug. 

“It’s nothing, Lucy is shorter than you, so I figured her clothes wouldn’t fit you very well,” Erza said, seeming bewildered by his enthusiasm. “If you put on one of the gowns, I can help you secure the hangerok[2].” 

“Okay!” Natsu entered the bedroom he’d chosen for himself and closed the door. He heard another knock on their door just as he’d wrestled out of the dress he’d been wearing. Soon there was another voice in the room, male this time. He pressed his ear to the door to listen. 

A voice that sounded like Gray’s greeted Lucy and Erza. 

“Is Natsu ready? I came to escort her to dinner.” 

“She’s still getting dressed,” Lucy informed him, “She should be out any minute.” 

“Already? Isn’t it still early?” 

“I, uh, wanted to speak to her before she met Fader.” 

Gray wanted to talk to him? Natsu supposed that made sense. He still hadn’t told him what it was he wanted from him. Natsu hoped Lucy had just been reading into the situation like she sometimes did, because if not, passing himself off as a girl would be child’s play compared to what awaited him. What would he do then? 

“What are you doing here? I thought you’d be with Lyon.” 

“Lyon was... busy, so I figured I’d bring Natsu some clothes she could borrow.” 

“Busy?” There was a momentary pause, followed by a muffled, “Oh.” 

“Is something wrong?” Natsu heard the concern in Lucy’s voice and wondered what Erza and Gray’s expressions looked like to merit it. 

“Nothing for you to worry about. Lyon and I were chasing a suspect today, and we lost him,” Erza explained, “The Chief isn’t happy with us.” 

Natsu listened with interest, recognizing they were talking about him. Had Erza been one of the hirdmen chasing after him? He’d only seen Lyon before he took off, and it had taken all of his energy to stay ahead of him. 

“I’m sorry,” Gray replied, and there was something in his voice that confused Natsu. 

What did Gray have to do with any of that? Natsu had a vague recollection of having seen another guy before running into the building. Could that have been Gray? Well, even if it had been, he’d obviously not recognized him in his disguise, which meant nothing had changed. 

Natsu continued to listen to them talk about how the Chief had yelled at Lyon and how Erza felt guilty because she hadn’t received the same treatment. As soon as they moved on to a different topic, he tuned them out, examining the dresses Erza had brought him with distaste and a little trepidation. Unlike his regular clothes, these weren’t fireproof. 

All he could do was hope for the best and remind himself it wouldn't be forever. He selected a white gown and put it on with a dispirited sigh, covering it with a heavier crimson apron dress and opening the door to join the others. 

They all looked up at his entrance, with Erza unfastening brooches she had attached to the inside of her hangerok. She approached him and fussed over him while he tried his best to stand still as she pushed the pins through both layers of fabric. 

“There you go,” Erza made some adjustments before straightening up and evaluating her efforts. “That color looks lovely on you. You should keep it.” 

“Oh, no, that’s not necessary,” Natsu was quick to protest, even though he appreciated her gesture. 

“Nonsense, we’re friends now, aren’t we? Besides, it looks better on you than on me.” 

Natsu guessed she wouldn’t feel the same way if she knew who he really was. This was a dangerous game he was playing, and he could only trust that he’d be able to find Igneel before this farce blew up in his face. 

“Something’s missing, though,” Erza studied him with a thoughtful expression before removing some of her beads and attaching them to the brooches on Natsu’s dress with a satisfied smile. “Perfect! Don’t you think so, Gray?” 

Gray muttered a response that even Natsu’s enhanced senses couldn’t make heads or tails out of, turning a moment later to bow to Erza. “Thank you for thinking of Natsu, I appreciate it.” 

Erza nodded, her expression turning thoughtful as she peered at Gray, her eyes lingering on his hair. On his braid, to be exact. 

Had Gray had that before? Natsu couldn’t recall. 

“You should get going,” she said, clapping Gray on the shoulder so hard he barely missed slamming into him. “I’m sure you two have lots to talk about. Lucy and I can wait for Lyon together.” 

Erza sounded almost giddy, but Natsu had no clue what had set her off. He peered at Lucy to make sure she didn’t have any objections before agreeing. 

Gray finally glanced at Natsu, although he looked away the moment their eyes met. “I’ll have Ur talk to our seamstress about making you some suitable clothes.” 

“Oh, that’s okay,” Lucy said, coming to his rescue, “I brought plenty of clothes, she can just wear some of mine.” 

“I feel we might need to get some made for you as well. You’re going to freeze to death wearing dresses like that around here,” Gray laughed, and Natsu and Erza joined in. 

“Shall we?” Gray gestured to the door, his eyes still crinkling at the corners. “There’s something I’d like to show you.” 

Natsu nodded, following him out but feeling a little awkward now that he knew they’d be alone together. 

0-0 

Gray had been looking forward to this moment for hours, but now that it was here, he didn’t know what to do. How should he treat Natsu? Did he already know what Gray was going to ask of him? How did people do this so easily? 

He offered Natsu his arm when they reached the top of the stairs, only to have him descend the stairs on his own, yanking his skirts up above his slippers and claiming he didn’t need his help. Gray could only smile at the defiant glare he’d glimpsed in his eyes. He liked Natsu’s independent spirit, especially given he was in a strange place and in the middle of what had to be a nerve-wracking situation. 

He followed Natsu down the stairs, not sure what to do with his hands, which were becoming sweaty in anticipation of being alone with his crush. It made him wish he’d paid more attention to Lyon when he was first trying to gain Erza’s favor. 

Gray had never given much thought to his looks before, but given the reactions of girls like Juvia, he figured he wasn’t hard to look at. That was to girls, though. How did he make himself attractive to another man? 

He’d done his best, changing into his finest set of clothes and taming his hair with a comb. After some consideration, he’d worked in the traditional engagement braid that announced his courtship status, embellishing it with beads to make it stand out more against his dark hair. Hoping to make a good impression on Natsu and to send a message to his father that he was taking this courtship seriously. But maybe he’d just made himself look like he was trying too hard. Natsu certainly hadn’t given him a second look. 

Gray led him out the front door, walking toward the ice sculptures that decorated their front yard, figuring it was far enough from the house to give them some privacy. Plus, it couldn’t hurt to show himself in a positive light. Maybe he could even impress Natsu with his molding. 

It was only when Natsu shivered next to him that Gray realized he hadn’t had him grab a cloak. 

“I’m doing a terrible job as your host. First, I forgot about your clothes, and now I didn’t think to make sure you had a cloak before I brought you outside. I’m so sorry, please take mine.” 

Gray removed his woolen cloak, draping it over Natsu’s shoulders and pinning it with his brooch to keep it in place. “There you go, that should keep you warm.” 

“Thank you,” Natsu bowed his head, “Won’t you be cold, though?” 

“Nah,” Gray waved away his concern. “I’m an ice mage, it needs to get much colder than this for it to bother me.” 

Natsu appeared skeptical, but his expression softened when Gray showed no signs of discomfort. “You know, it’s strange. I shouldn’t even be able to feel the cold.” 

“At all?” That surprised him. Gray was a powerful ice mage, but even he felt cold sometimes. 

“Yeah, my magic causes my body temperature to run hotter than other people’s. It usually heats the air around me to a comfortable temperature.” 

“I didn’t know that, you’re the first fire mage I’ve ever met.” 

“I can’t imagine too many of them would want to travel here,” Natsu said, plastering a smile on his face, but not soon enough for Gray to miss the tinge of sadness it replaced. “Even though it is quite beautiful in its own way.” 

Natsu’s sudden change of mood puzzled Gray. He knew there was something to it, but he had a feeling he wouldn’t get an answer if he asked, so he changed the subject. 

“I wanted to show you this,” Gray drew Natsu’s attention to the grouping of sculptures that he and his family had made during the Winter Solstice. 

Natsu gasped, allowing Gray to take his arm and help him maneuver through the deeper snowdrifts until they stood in front of the first sculpture, a snow tiger Lyon had made. Next to it was a large trellis covered in roses which Ur had made. An enormous wolf, Silver’s contribution, towered over the others. 

“How did I not see this when we arrived?” Natsu wondered aloud. 

“In the sorry state you were in?” Gray teased, “That wolf could have come to life and attacked the carriage and you wouldn't have noticed.” 

“Did you make all of these?” Natsu moved from one statue to the next, his hand extending out but stopping shy of actually touching. “They all look so real.” 

“I made that one,” Gray pointed to his creation, a sculpture of the thunder god Thor holding his hammer, Mjolnir, in mid-swing. “This is my magic. I can make just about anything out of ice, so long as I can visualize it in my mind. Most of the time I make weapons I can use to fight, but I enjoy doing stuff like this too. It helps to hone my control.” 

It pleased him to see Natsu admiring his sculpture, even walking around to examine the back of it. “Your magic is beautiful,” he complimented with a smile which stretched into a grin as he added, “but I bet you I could melt it without too much trouble.” 

Gods, that grin. Gray was learning he was weak to it. And Natsu’s words felt like an invitation to a game, one he was desperate to play despite not understanding any of the rules. 

“Is that so?” Gray raised an eyebrow at the taunt, “Those are some mighty big words coming from someone who could barely hold on to her magic at the Auction.” 

He could have kicked himself when Natsu’s smile wilted in front of his eyes. He’d made his first move and failed miserably. 

“I didn’t mean- uhm, I just wanted to-,” Gray struggled to explain that he’d only been trying to flirt, but he was a clueless pathetic mess. He was glad Lyon hadn’t seen that, he would’ve never lived it down. 

“I don’t need your apology. Not when it’s the truth.” 

Natsu turned away from the sculptures, avoiding Gray’s eyes as he asked, “So are you ever going to tell me what it is you want from me in exchange for helping me get my magic under control?” 

Could there possibly be a worse time to ask him that? Still, Gray had put himself in this mess, he’d just have to crawl his way back out. 

“I- uhm, I’m not sure how to start. I suppose short is best, since they’ll be expecting us for dinner soon.” 

Natsu slipped him a curious glance, “I don’t understand what you’re acting so nervous about, I already said I’d do whatever it was.” 

Gray was fairly certain that would change as soon as he heard what it was. 

“Okay then, I’d like you to pretend to be my fiancée.” 

“Except for that.” 

“I know how this sounds, but at least hear me out?” 

“Gray, it wouldn’t be right for me to-” 

“Please hear me out?” 

“This is insane,” Natsu frowned, but gestured for him to continue. 

“Thank you,” Gray wrapped his arms around himself, feeling a tad shaky now that the time had come to explain what he wanted. “My father is the Chief of Isvan, and someday I will take his place. Because of that, there’s this stupid law that says I have to get married on my next birthday, which is in October. I tried to get out of it by running out the clock, rejecting every girl my father brought to my attention.” 

“Is that what happened with Lucy?” 

“Yeah, I thought my plan was working, but it backfired. When I rejected the last girl this morning, my father told me if I didn’t find someone I could accept as a wife then I’d have to marry _her_ , and she’s the worst one of the lot. I can’t spend the rest of my life with her, Natsu. To me, that would be a fate worse than death.” 

“Now you’re just being dramatic,” Natsu’s mouth twitched into a smile at his declaration. “She can’t possibly be that bad.” 

“No, I’m not,” Gray objected, “I can promise you I wouldn’t be going to all this trouble if that were the case.” 

“You’re still better off asking Lucy for help,” Natsu argued, “I’m sure she’d agree. She knows all about this stuff, whereas I don’t even know which fork to use or-” 

Gray cut off Natsu’s protest, “You don’t understand, it has to be you. My father already approved of Lucy. If I chose her as my fiancée, I’d _have_ to marry her. But he doesn’t know you. If you agreed to marry me, he’d have to find your family, and enter negotiations with them.” 

“Hold up. Let me get this straight,” Natsu peered into his eyes, “You’re saying if I agree to do this your father would have to find my family?” 

“Yeah, but don’t worry about that,” Gray assured him, not wanting it to be a sticking point, “We can think of ways to keep him from doing that. Maybe I could hire some actors or-” 

“Are you crazy?” Natsu cut him off, his excitement such that he was almost bouncing on his feet, “I want him to.” 

Natsu’s reaction left Gray dumbfounded. “I don’t understand. Are you saying you want to marry me?” 

“No, you idiot!” Natsu grinned, punching Gray none too gently on the shoulder. “I came to Isvan looking for my father. He came here a few months ago, and I haven’t heard from him since. If you can help me find him, I’ll pretend to be anything you want.” 

Gray bristled at being called an idiot, and the playful punch had shocked him, although he had to admit it was also a little refreshing. For most of his life, everyone had tiptoed around him. Natsu was apparently not planning on doing any such thing, and it exhilarated Gray. 

He was eager to get to know the real man hiding behind the dress, the one he’d glimpsed outrunning Lyon with ease and who was bold or insane enough to pull off this disguise in plain view of his pursuers. 

“It’s a deal then,” Gray said, “We’ll start working on your magic tomorrow morning.” 

He was pleased that Natsu had agreed, although he was a little worried about what would happen once they found his father. But that was a worry for another day. They had to get through dinner first. 

His excitement ebbed as he thought of what awaited them. “I have to warn you, my father won’t approve at first. It might get unpleasant. I’m sorry for that.” 

Natsu shrugged, his hands moving up to his waist. “It’s okay. I’m more worried about my magic flaring up than anything he could say to me.” 

“I won’t let that happen.” 

He felt the urge to give Natsu a hug, but instinctively knew it was a bad idea. It would only end up being awkward. So he crossed his arms over his chest to keep himself from doing anything stupid, offering him an earnest smile instead. 

Natsu returned his smile, and suddenly they were staring into each other’s eyes with neither of them looking away. Natsu’s smile grew even wider and Gray could feel the blood rushing to his ears, which were thankfully hidden by his hair. 

“We- uhm, we need to come up with a story so that we don't mess each other up when we get in there,” Gray said, trying his best to hide how flustered he felt by the moment they’d just shared. “Something simple that’s mostly true is probably best.” 

They discussed a few ideas until finding one they both agreed on. 

“We should go inside.” 

“Yeah.” 

They walked back to the house’s entrance, Gray’s stomach tying itself up in ever more complicated knots at the thought of facing his father. 

Natsu stopped just shy of the front door, pumping his fists in the air and crying out, “We’re gonna do great!” 

Gray was so enraptured by the display he let himself believe it. He grabbed Natsu’s hand in his and led him inside towards the dining room. 

## Notes

* * *

  1. Farfar is the name for a paternal grandfather[↩]

  2. The hangerok (sometimes spelled **hangerock** or hangeroc) was a type of dress worn by Viking women and some other early medieval northern European cultures. The garment was shaped somewhat like a pinafore, with two straps over the shoulders secured by brooches. [↩]




**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm happy to finally bring you this chapter. It will be the last one for a bit as I will be working on the next chapter of The Red Dragon and those tend to take a while, along with some collabs that have been waiting for a bit. As I said in the first chapter, if you are interested in this story please subscribe so you can get notified when it updates. :)
> 
> I wanted to share a few things with you because we had so much fun researching this story. First off Fullbuster Manor is inspired by a real life place called Bogstad Gard in Norway. I found it beautiful, I'll post pictures of the courtyard once it pops up in the story.
> 
> When Oryu was working on the art we both did a lot of research on the clothing. The outfit Erza wore in the story is very similar to this:
> 
> If you ever wondered how much of a dork I am... here is a diagram I attempted to draw of the inside of the house (from the Front Door)
> 
> and this attempt at imagining the outdoor (this was before we had settled on Bogstad Gard but it still works)
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this little insight into the making of this story. Feel free to ask us questions if you'd like!  
> 

**Author's Note:**

> If you like this story I recommend you subscribe to it. While there are several chapters written I will not be sticking to a regular posting schedule as my life is still in chaos and I don't want to disappoint you or drive myself crazy trying to do something that is currently outside of my control. It is however, completely plotted out through the end. We did a lot of research for this one so I hope to add little tidbits here and there.
> 
> Although I will be participating in this year's Gratsu Weekend (March 5-8) and Shadowlight Week (Stingue) in April, overall I will be stepping back from both running and participating in events. This will hopefully free me up to write more, including working on unfinished stories.
> 
> If you'd like to chat about any of my fics, fandoms (I only really write for Fairy Tail at the moment, but I love to talk about anime) or writing consider joining our discord server. Here's an [invite](https://discord.gg/ubxJy6rqYy)!


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